Optical method and apparatus for checking propeller blades



7 E. F. FLINT OPTICAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHECKING PROPELLFR BLADES Nov. 30. 1948.

Flled March 9 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l EDWARD F. FLINT -INVENTOR I BY 4/ ATTORNEY Nov. 30, 1948. i FLINT 2,455,053

- OPTICAL METHOD AND A PPARATUS FOR CHECKING PROPELLER BLADES Filed Match 9, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 18 23 24 EDWARD F. FLINT 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY propeller relative to a reference plane.

Patented Nov. 30, 1948 .orrroar. Marriott AND AIPIFARATFJS FOR (JEHECG PRGPELLER BLADES Edward 1F. Flint, Brighton, N. $2., assignor to Eausch & Lomb Optical (Jompany, Rochester; N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 9, 19%, Serial No. 581,847

8 Claims.

ratus for checking the relative positions of the blades of a propeller while it is being rotated.

With propellers such as used on helicopters, for example, it is necessary that the blades be properly adjusted so as to avoid vibration. The pitch of the blades of a helicopter propeller can be checked by noting whether each blade, as it passes a given point, is at the same distance from a reference plane. Since the blades are subject to various forces-and stresses while the propeller is being rotated, it is necessary that the tests be made while the propeller is in operation. When the relative positions of the blades have been checked, the blades are adjusted individually so that corresponding portions of each blade are at This invention relates to a method and appathe same distance from the reference plane, as

the blades pass through a given point.

One of the objects of my invention is to pro-- vide an improved method for indicating the relative positions ofthe blades of a propeller while in operation. Another object is-to provide (Cl. 88-M) an improved apparatus for indicating the relative positions of the blades of a propeller during rotation. Further objects are to provide an optical method and apparatus for determining or checking the positions of the blades of a rotating These and other. objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification.

Referring to the drawings:--' I t Fig. l is a view showing my apparatusin use for checking the blades of a helicopter.

Fig. 2 is a side. viewof my apparatus with parts broken away; g

Fig. 3' is a' diagrammatic. view showing the side elevation of theoptical system of my'apparatus. Fig. 4 is an end view of the prism assembly used in the optical system.

a Fig; 5 shows-the appearance of the field of view of the apparatus when all of the blades are not in V proper adjustment.

Fig. 6 shows the field of view when all blades .are in'proper position.

Fig. 7 is. a'view showing the locations of the index marks-on the undersides of the propeller blades.

A method and apparatus of carrying out my invention are illustrated in the drawings wherein in indicates the optical apparatus which is carried by a 'tripod ll and positioned under the blades of the rotating propeller of the helicopter H. As shown 'moreclearly in Fig. 7, an index mark I2 is placedon the underside of blade B with the mark'extendingtransversely of the blade. Another'index mark I 3is placed on the underside of blade B and it is located at a greaterdistance' from the center of rotation of the propeller than the mark 1 2. Another index mark M} is placed on the underside ofblade B' and it is located at a distance from the center of rotation which is less than that from the center of rotation to the mark it.

The apparatus It, shown more fully in Figs. 2,

3, and 4, embodies a casing l5 having the piano windows it and ii located on the top side of the casing at the respective ends thereof. Reflecting devices such as prisms i8 and 49 are positioned, respectively, opposite the windows it and ill. The prism i8 is fixedly held in a suitable mount 29 and the prism i9 is held in a pivoted mount 2i which is adapted to be adjusted by turning the screw 22 which engages a gear sector 23 carried by the lever 26. Located between the prisms l8 and i9 is the prism system 25 which receives reflected light rays therefrom and directs them rearwardly through a viewing tube 26 in which is mounted a plane window 21. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the prism system 25 comprises two right angle prisms 28 and 29 which are positioned in end to end relation andwith their hypotenuse surfaces respectively facing the prisms l8 and i9. A large right angle'prism 30 is positioned above the prisms 28 and 29soas to receive rays from each prism and'thereby provideupper and lower contiguous field. portions when viewed through: the tube 26., It willbeapparentthat by adjusting the angular position of prism l;9 by screw 22,- theimages a, in the upper and lowerportions of" the field-of view, of the mark l2-may bebrought intoaligned coincidence asishown in Fig. 5-.

. If,the blades B and B," are notin proper adl justment; the images b an carried by these blades, will notibeinicoincidence'. The blades .13 and B": may then be individually adjusted so that all of the imag'es'ofthe index marks are brought'intov coincidence as shown in 'Fig.16. .When all of the-i'mages'are lnfalignedthei' corresponding poradding telescope lenses to the system.

From the ioregoing it will beapparent that; I

-c ofthe index-marks, l

Instead of adjusting'one of the end prisms to bring two'images of one index mark into aligned coincidence, the entire apparatus It! could beraised or lowered vertically by speed, simultaneously by each blade, the distance am able to obtainthe objects of my invention and provide an improved method and apparatus for checking the relative positions of the blades of a, propeller during rotation. Various modifications can, of course, be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of indicating the positions of the blades of a propeller relative to a fixed plane while the propeller is being rotated which comprises the steps of providing aligning indicia means on each blade with the indicia means placed at a different distance from the propeller axis for each blade, rotating the propeller and simultaneously forming at least two adjacent images of each indicia means in an image field in said plane in such a manner that the relative positions of the adjacent images of the several indicia means are, respectively, functions of the distances from the indicia means to the image field and hence indicate the relative positions of the respective blades relative to the plane.

2. The method of indicating the relative positions of the blades of a propeller while it is being r rotated which comprises the steps of placing an index line on each blade transversely of the axis of the blade, with the distance from theline to the propeller axis dlfierent for each blade, rotating the propeller,. and simultaneously forming two adjacent images of each index line in the respective upper and lower portions of an image field in such a manner that the relative positions of the adjacent images of the several lines are,

respectively, functions of the distances between the lines and the image field whereby the relative positions of the blades with respect to the image field are indicated.

3. The method of determining the relative positions .of a plurality of blades of a propeller while being rotated at operating speed which comprises the steps of placing on each blade an aligning index mark which is located at a different distance from the propelleraxis for each blade, rotating the propeller at the operating speed, forming respectively in different contigu ous portions of an image field "a plurality of images of each mark in such a manner that the indicia means to the rotation axis of the propeller being difierent for each blade, optical means for forming during rotation of the propeller an image of each indicia means in each of a plurality of superposed contiguous portions of an image field, and means for aligning the images of the indicia means on at least one blade whereby the relative positions of the images of each of the other indicia means will indicate the relative positions of the remainlngblades relative to said one blade.

6. A device for determining the relative positions oi! the blades of a propeller during rotation which comprises aligning indicia means carried by each blade, the distance from the indicia means to the rotation axis of the propeller being diiferent for each blade, optical means for forming images of the indicia means during rotation of the propeller, said optical means comprising spaced reflectors, a pair of superposed reflecting devices positioned between the reflectors, said reflectors being positioned. to receive light rays from the indicia means and direct them laterally to the respective reflecting devices whereby an image of each indicia means is formed in contiguous portions of the field of view, and means for adjusting, at least one reflector to bring the images of the indicia means on each blade into alignment in the two portions of the field.

'7. A method of indicating the positions of the blades of -a propeller relative to a fixed plane while the propeller is rotating which comprises the steps of providing an index line transversely of the axis of and on each blade, with the lines on each blade placed at respectively different distances from the axis of the propeller, rotating the propeller and simultaneously forming at least two images of each line in an image field so that relative positions of the adjacent images of the, I

several marks arefunctions of the distances,between the respective marks and theimage field, and determining the relative positions of the blades by noting the relative-positions of the images of the marks. v

4. The method of checking the pitch of the blades of a helicopter rotor while being rotated which comprises placing an aligning blade at a different distance axis of the rotor, turning'therotor atoperating mark in contiguous portions of an image field so a function of the distance of the mark from the image field, and checking the pitch of one blade relative to that of the others by noting the relav index mark on each blade of the rotor with the mark on each 4 from the rotational forming images of each that the relative positions of the images of each. I mark in the respective portions of the field are tive positions of the images of each mark in the v respective portions of the image field,

5. A device-for determining the relative positions of the blades ofa propeller during-rotation i which comprises aligning from the aligning indicia means carried 'of the blades axis of the propeller one blade. v a

the relative positions of the images of each line are a function of the distance from the line to the image field, establishing the reference plane in. the image field by bringing into alignment the images of the line on one blade whereby the relative positions of the images of the lines on the other blades will indicate the relative positions of the blades relative to the reference plane.

8.=A device for checking the relative positions of a propeller during rotation which comprises an index line carried byeach blade and extending transversely'of the axis of the blade, index line-to the rotation the distance-from the being different for each blade, optical means for forming in an image field during rotation of the propeller an image of each index line in each ofyaplurality of-contiguous portions of an image field so that the relative positionsof the contiguous images of the several lines are, respectively, functions of the distances from the lines tothe image field, and means for aligning the images, of the line on at least one blade whereby the relative positions of the images of each of the other lines will indicate the relative positions, of the other blades relative to said ilDWARD F. FLINT.

, REFERENCES CITED The following "references areof record in the file of this patent? 

